Gavin and Stacey star brutally axed from finale as there was 'no room'

Gavin and Stacey viewers were delighted as the much-loved series returned for a final episode this Christmas Day, providing the ultimate festive treat.

Last night's finale delivered gratification and laughter to fans who have followed the adored BBC sitcom for over a decade.

In the concluding chapter, viewers discovered that Smithy, played by James Corden, turned down Nessa's (Ruth Jones) marriage proposal from the 2019 special.

Audiences were on tenterhooks as he planned to wed his partner Sonia (Laura Aikman). However, Smithy and Nessa finally tied the knot by the time the episode came to its end.

Creators Ruth Jones and James Corden strove earnestly to reunite the cherished cast, including Russell Tovey's Budgie and Sheridan Smith's Rudi.

Regrettably, Gwynfor Roberts failed to reprise his role as Dick Powell.

Despite being included in the preliminary script, the character wasn't featured in the festive special's last draft, with the writers unable to find space for his return.

At an advanced screening, Ruth Jones conveyed disappointment at the decision, saying: "I think in the original script we had Dick Powell. There just wasn't room for him, God bless him."

Nevertheless, she expressed delight in assembling the rest of the ensemble one last time. The finale of the beloved series took an unexpected turn, leaving viewers gobsmacked as it opened with a wedding but not the one they anticipated.

Smithy was set to tie the knot with Sonia, with actress Lauren returning in secret to maintain the element of surprise.

The plot twist saw Smithy's mate Gavin, played by Mathew Horne, halt the nuptials in a dramatic fashion, leading to Smithy abandoning Sonia at the altar to chase after Nessa before she sailed away.

At a special screening for the cast and crew, Ruth Jones shared her emotions: "I'm feeling a bit drained. It was so lovely to watch it with an audience. I hope we did you proud. It was just lovely to hear all the reactions. To hear that very initial response, it's just gorgeous."

Meanwhile, a visibly moved James Corden reflected on the audience's expectations: "I just wanted it to feel satisfying really. What was really interesting is after the 2019 special, all people would say to us was, what does he say? They would never say who did he choose."

The 46-year-old also recounted the creative spark behind the finale's opening, adding: "I called Ruth and I was like, I wonder if we could trick everybody into thinking that for the first six or seven minutes that they're just going to watch a wedding between Nessa and Smithy.

"I remember so vividly having that chat with Ruth going, 'oh, I wonder if we could pull that off. I feel like we did'."